Railway-tie.



W. A, RHINESMITH.

RAILWAY TIE.

APPucATloN FILED AuG.25. |914.'

Patented July 27, 1915.

2 sains-sneer si .m a

d w. A. IIHINI-:sII/IIIII.

RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.25, I9I4.

Patented July 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

45, embodying means WILLIAM ALONZO RHINESMITH, OIE" UPPER MACOPIN, NWfJERSEY.

RAILWAY-TIE.

iaaaosi. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2'7, 1915..

Application filed August 25, 1914. `Serial No. 858,496.

To all Iwhom t may concern Be it known that l, lVILLiAM ALONZOl RHINEsMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Upper Macopin, in the county of 5 Passaic and State of New Jersey, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Ties, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to railway ties and has as its object to .provide a metallic railway tie which will possess numerous advantages adapting it for use as a substitute for the lordinary wooden tie and without sac ricing any of the advantages possessed by a wooden tie.

lt is one aim of the invention to provide a metallic tie which will oe resilient practically to the same degree as the ordinary wooden tie, the tie being soy constructed as to be yieldable although it embodies no cushioning means such as a spring.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a tie embodying shimming means readily and Vquickly adjustable in accordance with the road bed and track conditions.

inworking and filling in the ballast so as toelevate the rails which have become depressed or the outer rails on a curve, but this requires considerable time and labor and must be frequently donein order to maintain normal `track conditions. The present invention therefore aims to provide a tie embodying in its structure means which may be adjusted by a track walker to adjust the end of the tie to proper elevation in the event of displacement of the tie. Another aim of theI invention is to provide novel means for preventing lateral dis- 40 placement of the tie and means. for connecting a number of the ties together to further prevent their relative displacement or individual. 'lateral displacement.

The invention also aims to provide a tie whereby the rails supported thereby may be properly clamped in place to space their treads at the proper gage regardless of the dimensions of thenbase flanges. f I

' The invention also has as its object to provide a tie so constructed that a' water trough may be arranged upon a desired number of the ties to'permit of water being taken up y alocomotive while running.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a tie which will be light in weight and The ordinary method of shimming consists l consequently adapted to be readily transported at low cost and capable of being readily and conveniently handled by the workmen laying the track. In the accompanying drawings: Figiire 1 1s a perspective view of the tie embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough, the tie being arranged for use in a straight line of track. Fig. 3 is a similar view, but illustrating the tie adjusted for vuse on a c urve.. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the tie. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of one end ofthe tie, illustrating the means provided for holding the body and base of the tie against relative movement. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of several ofthe ties, illustrating the manner in which they may be connected in alinement.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters. In the drawings, the tie is illustrated as comprising a body preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal of requisite thickness, and this body includes a flat top l and vertical sides 2. 'lhe i'ails which are to be supported by the tie are indicated by the numeral 3 and have their base flanges disposed directly uponthe top 1 of the body`of the tie, the rails being held in place by means of rail clamps Ll and 5 secured by means of bolts 6 to the said top of the body. The rail clamps 4 are located at the inner sides 'of the rails and clamp the inner base)l ianges of the rails, whereas the tie plates 5 engage the outer edges of the outer 'base flanges andagainst the outer sides of the webs of the rails.-

Between the rail clamps 4 and 5, the top 1 of the tie body is rolled or otherwise formed' with a depressed portion 3' forming a seat 3a which is of a depth to receive the base flange of the respectiveaail, the seat extending at right angles to the length of the tie body and the upper face of the base 'flange of the rail being substantially flush with the upper surface of the said top 1.

The seat 3"`s, however, of greater width. y

than the widtlifo/ff the ordinary rail base and in order that the rails supported by the',

ties may be adjusted so that their treads will be spaced apart atthe proper gagekreside wall of the seat.

' zontal and 'in a plane with the nnder side of the top fbi) lbody of the tie.

ga'rdless of the width of the rail bases, spacing bars lla are provided and are adapted to be disposed within the seats 3 between one or the other ot the edges of the respective rail base and the corresponding F or example, it the rail bases are relatively narrow, the spacing bars 4a of each tie are arranged to lie bereen the inner or opposing edges t the 'ses of the rails supported by the tie and ene inner side walls of the rail seats 3, and if the base `flanges are relatively wide, these strips are arranged at the opposite side of the flange and between the same and between the other or outer side walls of the rail seats. These spacing bars 4 may be of various widths, so as to provide for the proper spacing of various sizes of rails and 1n order that the bars may be securely held in place, their ends are struck down, as indicated. tby the numeral 4", so as to extend down beside the sides Q ot the tie body and the bars are furthermore overlapped by the rail clamps i or 5, as the case may be, whereby to provide against their upward displacement from the rail seats.

The base of'the tie consists of two base members pirotally connected with the body y of the tie at a point between the ends thereof and independently angnlarly adjustable or movable with respect to the said Each of these base members is referably 'formed from sheet metal and eac comprises a bottom 7 and sides S which occupy planes at right angles to the piane occupied by the bottom 7 and which are provided along their upper edges with inwardly projecting relatively narrow flanges 9. The base members are arranged to tit between thesides 2 of the tie body and their sides are of such hei ht that when the'bottoms 7 of the base mem ers are with the lower edges of the sides Z of the body, the anged upper edges of the said members will contact 1 of the body. 1n their assembled position, the adjacent or inner ends of the bottoms 7 of the base members are slightly spaced apart and the corresponding ends of the sides 8 of the said base members are in overlapped relation, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. 1n order to pivotally connect the base members with the body ot the tie, a bolt rod 10 is fitted through the sides 2 of the body and through the overlapped inner ends, ot the sides 8 of the base members ata point adjacent the bottom of the tie. be apparent that the base members may be adjusted angular-ly upon Vthe bolt rod 10 as a pivot, independent of each other and with relation to the respective' endsV of the tie body, and it is contemplated that in one embodiment of the invention one of these may have slight yielding horiin the same manner as lt will now base members shall be adjustable with relation to the respective end of the tie body and held in such adjustment, and that the other base member shall be freely movable angularly with relation to the other end of the tie body.

While, as stated above, the base members are movable with relation to the tie body, it willbe apparent that when the tie is disposed in the road bed, the base members will remain stationary and that the tie body Aor tilting movement with respect thereto as weight is imposed upon the rails due to the passing thereover of a train. In order that the thrustvof the rails may be borne directly by the base members and thereby transmitted to the road bed, a supporting member is provided beneath each end of the top member, indicated in general by the roter-v ence character A in Figs. 2 and3, has its top .11 secured to the under sidefot the top 1 of the body of the tie by ma'ns ot the bolts 6 which secure the adjacent rail to the tie', and when the base member at this end of the tie is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, or, more specifically speaking, when the` respective end of the tie is in the position shown in these tigures with' relation to the said base member, the bottom 13 of the said supporting member will rest upon the bottom 7 ot the said base member. Each supporting member hasits top 11 formed with a` depression forming a seat 11*L to receive the respective depression 3 in the top 1 of the tie body. The other supportingmember, indicated in general by the reference letter B, has its sides parallel and is secured to the under side of the top of the rail body the supporting member A. The bottom of this member li, however, occupies a plane at an angle to the plane 'occupied by the top of the said member A.and is formed with transversely extending corrugations 1J: which extend in a series from one end to the other of the said bottom.

As will be pointed ont, :the corrugated bottom of the member B constitutes one element of the shimming device provided in comrcction with the rail. rl`he shimming device, above mentioned. further ,includes a shimming block 15 which is we `-lge-shaped and has its upper side formed with a series gio ' to interchangeably t the corrugations 1n the bottom 14 of the supporting member B.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be observed that the shimming v block 15 is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the tie between the bottom 14 ofthe supporting member B and the bottoml of the respective base member, and it will be apparent that as the shimming block is moved inwardly, or in other words, adjusted toward .the center of the tie. the corresponding end of the tie body will be adjusted vertically. In order that the shimming block may be securely held in adjusted position, it is provided at its major or outer end with a' shank 17 which projects toward the adjacent end of the tie and 'which is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 18 through which and the bottom of the base member is secured a set bolt 19. In order that the supporting members '-may have movement with respect to the lbase memberswithout interference on the part of the .lange 9, these flanges are cut away at the points of location of the said supporting members as indicated by the numeral 20, so as to receive the sides of the said supporting members. 30 be understood. that with the parts in the po- I. From the foregoing description, it will sition shown in Fig. 2, the tie is adapted to Ybe laid in a straight line of track, inasmuch as itis supported in level position. When the tie isto be laid in a curve, however, the shimming block 15 is adjusted inwardly so as to elevate the corresponding end of the tie body to such a .degree as tosupport the "outer rail to' the'proper elevation4 above'the inner rail, and it Will also be apparent/that the said block may be adjusted/'as yof/ten as necessity arises in order to/mainta'm the proper; relative elevation of the inner and i outer rails.

- As a means for preventing lateral displacement of the tie, there is provided an anchoring member comprising a body'/ 21 having a iiat bottom 22 and upwardly inclined` sides 23, the said bodyv preferablyr having a transversely curved upper side. The body 21 is provided at each end with an upstandingA ear' 25 and these ears are provided with openings receiving the boltl rod 10, the body being in this manner supported beneath the under side of the tie. It will be observed by reference to Figs-2 and 3 of the drawings, that the body is wider at its bottomI than at its top and consequently it serves 'not only to prevent lateral displacement of the tie but also tends 'to preventupward displacement thereof when embedded in the road bed.

In order to reinforce the supporting membens they are provided in each corner Vwith diagonal braces 26. It will be under' thereof, the first-mentioned end of-the tie body may have a slight downward yielding movement and theother end of -the body may move upwardly a corresponding dis tance, and that this movement ot' the lastme'ntioned end of the body is with relation to the corresponding base member inasmuch as the basemembers are stationary. The upward movement of the last-nnntioned end of the body does not permit ot' pieces of the ballast lodging beneath the tie at this end, however, for, as stated, .the base members remain stationary and serve to retain the ballast in normalcondition.,

In the event that itis desired to secure the ends of the tie body against movement with respect to the corresponding base members, sectional tie-bars may be employed, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Each ot' these tiebars comprises a pair of sect-ions 27, each section having a hooked end QSengageable in a slot 29 in the top of the body or bottom ofthe base member, as the case may be, and the overlapping portions of thesections are'secured at adjustment by means of a set bolt 30, one of the sections being .formed with a slot 31 to permit oi such adjustment 100 ofthe said sections.

In lorder that a water trough may be supported by a number of ties to extend between the rails and in position to permit of water being taken up by a locomotive 105 while running, a` number of the ties in a line of track are formed. between their rail supporting portions with depressions V32 in which the water trough,'indicated at 33, is

disposed/or secured, these depressions be- `base for tliebody comprising sections with respectto which the body is relatively angularly adjustable.

3. A railway tie comprising a body, and a base for the body comprising vsections foi supporting the ends yof the'body, the sections 03 being adjustable to support the ends of the body at different elevations.

4. A railway tic comprising base sections independently angularly adjustable, and a body supported upon the sections.

A railway tie comprising' base sections.

' and a body, the base sections being pivotally connected to each other and to the said body.

(S. A railway tie comprising base sections, a body, the base sections being pivotally connected to each other and to the said body, and means for relatively adjusting one end of the body' with respect to the corresponding` base section.

7. A railway tie comprising pivotally connected base sections relatively angular-ly ad justable', and a body supported at its ends upon the said sections.

S. A railway tie comprising a body and a base, the body having a supporting); member provided with a series of seats, and a shimming block provided with a. corresponding series of projections, the shimming block being disposed between the said support and the said base.

9. A railway tie comprising a body and a base, the body having a supporting member provided with a series ot seats, a shinnning block provided with a correspondingseries ot projections, the shiinnxiu;y block being disposed between the support and the base, and means tor holdinf.;v the block at adjustnient.

10. A railway tie comprising a body and a base comprising; sections with respect to which the ends ot the body are angularly adjustable', and shimming means disposed between one end of the body and the corresponding base section.

1l. In a railway tie, a body, an anchoring member comprising a body disposed beneath the tie body and having* apertured portions extending; beside the sides of the said body, and a bolt rod iitted through the tie body and through the said apertured portions.

12. A rail 'ay tie comprising a. body, haw.

ing a top and sides, av base for the body with respect to which the body is angularly ad.- justable, and a supporting member interposed between the top of the body and the said base, the top of the body and the top of the supporting member having intertitting depressions and the depressions in the top of the body constituting a rail seat.

13. A railway tie comprising a hollow' body formed in its top with a depression located beneath its ends and arranged to receive a water trough.

14. A railway tie comprising a hollow body having a top and spaced depending sides, and a base Jfor the body comprisingr sections pivotally supported between the sides of the body and independently angularly adjustable with respect to the ends of the body7 whereby to support the ends ot the body at various elevations.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

WILLIAM ALNZO RHINESMl'lH.

Witnesses SiDNuY E. Moasn, FREDERICK R. Fniionmons. 

